Leo's New Friend
by daswortowo
Summary: Leo Valdez regrets skipping training and is bored out of his mind. Submission for Camp Half-Blood Forum's Birthday Event. Dedicated to DaughterofHypnos17.
1. Chapter 1 : Leo Valdez

**Flavour- Chocolate: Leo Valdez**

 **Summary - Leo Valdez regrets skipping training and is bored out of his mind.**

 **Submission to Camp Half-Blood's birthday event.**

 **Disclaimer - I DO NOT OWN PJO/HOO**

 **Happy belated birthday to DaughterofHypnos17**

* * *

I was bored, everybody at camp was busy and I had decided to ditch my training lessons today.

Maybe it wasn't such a good idea to ditch, but I wasn't just going to stroll into the arena all casually and have everyone stare at my godly lateness. Of course, I loved the attention, but I didn't really have a good excuse for my tardiness. So clearly, it wasn't an option.

So I thought of the next best thing, and no, it wasn't banging my head on a random tree. I would consider it, but it was acorn season. You wouldn't have thought that nymphs were strong, but damn, those nymphs have the strength of Hercules. I have never met Hercules before, but I'm pretty sure that they were stronger.

I had thought of two options, maybe make something that I can sell to some random camper or join a random class starting, they never take attendance, so they would probably not notice an extra camper that's not from their cabin unless they were very observant and know everyone in their class...

I decided that selling something to broke campers was useless, so I went with the latter, joining another class.

Archery was starting with the Ares cabin, but I wasn't really that good with the bow and arrow, and neither was the Ares cabin, even going near the area would cause one to get hit and possibly lose a body part because they just love their poisonous arrows, speaking of poisonous arrows, **HOW ARE THEY EVEN ALLOWED?!**

Did the Ares cabin bribe Chiron or something?!

Maybe arts and crafts? I could make a little Fetus, with wings made out of pipes cleaners, I could make Mi-tus fly! Maybe Mi-tus should have some glowing eyes, that would be cool- Sorry, I had gotten off topic, but I think arts and crafts would be great- wait, it's with the Hypnos and Athena cabin…

Well, great, just great! The Hypnos cabin would make me sleepy, and the Athena cabin will notice that I don't belong.

Curse the Athena cabin and their smartness. Not literally though, we might need them in case we have an attack.

I groaned I shouldn't have slept in, now I had missed the first few minutes of training and I had even missed breakfast!

I couldn't even go to bunker 9 because I had locked the door and forgot the key inside, Buford wouldn't even open the door for me because he's mad about me cleaning him with Windex- again. I told him that I was sorry 233 times! And yes I had counted!

I sat on a bench just outside of the Hephaestus cabin, continuing to think about what I should do.

Maybe I could visit Camp Jupiter? Wait, nevermind, it would probably be too awkward considering I had blown up their camp a few months prior, I wonder if they had repaired all of the damage? I really would like to check their camp out, but would they let me in with open arms and pretend it had never happened? I mean, it's an option.

 _Scrape!_

What was that? Was it the tree nymphs playing tricks on me again? Or maybe it was the Hermes cabin… Or worse, the Athena cabin had finally found out that I wasn't where I was supposed to be… Wait- Why would they even care about a lowly peasant from cabin nine?

Back to the sound, I had stood up and looked around the back of the bench, from where the noise was coming from.

 _Scrape!_

There that noise was again!

I know I shouldn't investigate because that's how many people die from horror films, but this wasn't a horror film, and it could be just someone pranking me.

I stepped over a few bushes and pushed away a few branches poking me, finding myself hearing the scraping noise a lot louder than before. Then it stopped entirely.

That was strange, maybe they had heard me coming? So I yelled out.

"Come on this isn't funny!"

If this was some campers pranking me, I swear I'm going to kill them and bribe my way into the underworld, and then kill them again, then bring them back to life and cover up all of the evidence, because I can't kill campers, that would be obviously breaking the rules. I am such a good child.

When I had found it, my eyes had widened in horror at what had laid there in front of me.

It was an old man with the camp t-shirt on. His body looked lifeless, he couldn't have been dead for more than a few years.

But that's when I had realized something, his body wasn't decaying-no, it was rusting up.

I gave the body a little nudge with the tip of my shoe to see if there was any signal of life, but there was none.

I nudge it a little harder and soon I had kicked it, leaving my foot in pain. I had just kicked metal!

But not mortal metal, no, it was something stronger, considering it was tinted gold. It was Celestial Bronze. Meaning that whoever had left this here, wasn't some harmless mortal, no it was probably a killing machine or a failed project that could also be a killing machine.

Which also had confirmed what I had been thinking, I had just found an automation.


	2. Chapter 2 : Tinkering

**Decoration- Fondant: Tinkering**

 **Summary - Leo tries to repair his friendship with Buford but his newfound automation still needs to be fixed.**

 **Disclaimer - I do not own Windex, Lemon Pledge or PJO/HOO.**

* * *

Just by looking at the automation, it looks like he could still be fixed.

I squatted down, examining the bronze body.

It looks like that he had tried to reactivate himself, but he was so rusted up that he could barely move.

The body itself was very damaged, a few chunks of Celestial Bronze was missing and scratched. A lot of gears and wires were also missing or damaged.

I could probably fix it, considering it wasn't a killing machine and Buford would let me into bunker nine.

I got up and put my hands under the armpits of the automation, with all of my strength I had gotten him to sit up against a tree.

Realizing I had to get carry it all the way back I groaned. I was already tired and sweaty from just getting him to sit up!

"Okay…" I took a deep breath as I dragged the body with my noodle arms. This was going to take a while with a lot of breaks.

* * *

After dragging the body to the bunker I had immediately crashed onto the ground.

Great, now I have to change my clothes from all of my sweat.

My whole body ached as I tried my best to stand up.

I should've asked someone to help me… Why didn't I think about that before?! I could have avoided all of this. But I guess I wouldn't really want anyone to question me.

"Okay, Leo you can do this." I dragged myself to the bunker's door and banged on it.

"Buford let me in!" There wasn't a response.

"I said I was sorry! Oh, my gods Buford just open the Hades up!" Still no response from said table.

"I swear I will huff and I will puff and I will blow this bunker down!" I thought quoting the three little pigs would definitely do the trick, but apparently not as I heard Buford knock back at me.

"You want me to buy Lemon Pledge and then you'll forgive me?! Oh, come on Buford I don't have time for this!" I was getting quite impatient with Buford now, the struggles of being a single parent are real.

"Lemon Pledge with extra moisturizing formula? Fine!" I gave in, it was no use arguing with him anymore as it was obvious that he wanted his cleaner or he wouldn't let me in.

I looked at the automation laying on the grass hoping while I was gone that nothing would happen to him.

I sighed and began to walk back to camp, the camp store would probably have a Lemon Pledge somewhere.

When I had finally arrived back at camp after the long run through the woods, I immediately went to the camp store.

I went to the cleaning aisle only to find that there was only one 'Lemon Pledge with extra moisturizing formula' looks like it was my lucky day.

I started to walk towards only to find out that I might have jinxed myself.

Travis Stoll grabbed the can before I was even one-meter close.

"Travis wait!" I yelled at him, he looked at me in surprise and confusion. "Travis can I have that can!? Please, it's the last one and I really need it!"

"Sorry dude I really need this too," Travis said apologetically.

"Please, I'd do anything!" Heck, I'll even give him a table named 'Buford' if he really wants him.

The son of Hermes looked at the can and back at me and sighing handing it to be. "I need fireworks, big ones."

It was my turn to look at him confused now.

"Don't question it."

"Okay, thank you though! I will try to get those fireworks to you as soon as I can."

"Thanks, dude." I watched as Travis Stoll walked out of the door.

"Thank the gods,"

After I paid I hurried back to bunker 9 banging on the door once more. "Buford I have it, open up!"

I heard dozens of locks unlock and the door swung open with Buford standing there looking smugly at me.

I stuck my tongue out at him before putting the Lemon Pledge on the table before going back outside to get the automation. I dragged the body inside the bunker and onto a table where I could work on him on.

"I'm guessing you want me to clean you with Lemon Pledge now?" I could just sense him nodding furiously.

I grabbed a piece of cloth from one of my cabinets and sprayed some of it on, giving Buford a nice scrub making him shine.

Once I felt like he has been cleaned enough I put my cleaning supplies away and began to work on the automation.

His model was quite interesting, the maker of the automation never gave a lot of the body time to rest and recharge for a few weeks. It also seems like it has been in loads of fights from the scratches and marks on the metal.

I put on gloves and opened up the body, I was memorized by all of it. The wiring was a mixed of olden times machinery and modern days combined, almost flawlessly. It was almost like Hephaestus himself had made them, keyword: almost. Someone close to Hephaestus's skill level had probably made this, maybe like one of those ancient inventors-like Daedalus.

Although instead of Hephaestus's all metal's creations, the body looked almost human. It was almost identical to a human body. Almost like someone was living in the body. Like the stories of Daedalus told at the campfire.

I took a deep breath, put on a pair of safety glasses and began to work, despite my uneasy feeling.


	3. Chapter 3 : A little electricity

**Frosting- Buttercream: "A little electricity and, mwahahaha, It's Alive"**

 **Summary - Leo finally fixes the automation and makes a new friend.**

* * *

"Buford hand me the wires with those clip thingies!" I put my hand out, after a few seconds I finally realized that Buford wasn't going to move. I groaned and got the wires out of Buford's drawers myself.

I clipped the wires onto the automation, it was the moment of truth. "A little electricity" I flipped a lever, and suddenly all of the lights had gone out. I frowned and banged on the box that was connected to the lever, the lights came back on with the electricity coursing through the wires. The automation started to turn on, "and, mwahahaha, it's alive" I laughed like an evil scientist.

I took off the clips and helped the automation sat up. I grinned and mentally patted myself on the back. It had taken several hours, but I had finally done it.

"So, name's Leo Valdez, bad boy supreme, but my friends call me 'My lord and saviour' what's your name cutie." I winked at it, and yes, I had just flirted with an automation who looked like a 70-year-old man. I had just installed an emotion and talking drive, so why not test it?

"M-my n-name i-i-s Qui-ntus-s." His voice was a little shaky, but I bet I could fix that later. 'Quintus' is what his creator had named him as I had fixed his broken memory drive.

I grabbed a cloth from the counter, wiping away all of the oil and dirt that had gotten on me.

"We should get to know each other Quintus, who was your creator." I was quite interested in finding out who had made him, but he didn't answer. "Playing the silent game now are we?" I frowned, why wouldn't he say his creator's name. As far as I know, his creator might have blacklisted his name. I looked at the clock and yelped, I was late again!

"I need to run errands, do you want to come Quintus?" "Yes." I helped him stand up, his face emotionless, I guess I would need to fix that too.

"Just wait right here," I quickly grabbed my bag and hurried back to make sure he hadn't lost his balance and fell.

"First we need to deliver Travis's fireworks and then Annabeth needs to talk to me."

* * *

It took a long time for Quintus to adjust to walking again, but we had finally made it to the Hermes Cabin, Travis was on a chair on the porch sleeping.

"TRAVIS!" I yelled out, immediately waking him up. "WHA-? Am I seeing ghosts now!?" His eyes were wide at Quintus, he was just as confused as the older campers walking by who had seen him.

"I wish, but this is Quintus, he's my automation I had found and fixed."

"L-Leo… Do you not know who this is? Where did you find him?!" Travis stuttered, he seemed really freaked out, which caused me to begin to freak out too.

"Found him lying around in the middle of the forest… Here are your fireworks… Care to explain how you know Quintus?" I handed the son of Hermes the fireworks, he was still wide-eyed and gaping at Quintus.

"I-You know what, I'm just going to go lay down, ask Annabeth." I frowned confused as Travis ran back into his cabin leaving me there confused.

"I guess I'll just ask her then," I muttered under my breath, I needed to speak with Annabeth anyways. "Come on Quintus, time to find out more about you."

Quintus and I had arrived at the Athena cabin, where Annabeth had told me we would meet at 4 pm. I was a little bit early, but I think she's here somewhere.

"Annabeth?" I knocked on the Athena cabin door, I perked up at the sound of feet shuffling. "Come in!" Annabeth called out.

I entered, looking around their lair. Surprisingly this was the first time I had actually been in the Athena cabin. Papers were sewn all of the place, with Annabeth the only person in the cabin right now.

Her hair was messy and she looked like she hasn't slept in days. "Leo! Just the person I need righ- Daedelus?!" She stuttered, wide-eyed. Daedelus? Like the inventor? I looked over to what she was looking at, and I suddenly understood. She was looking at Quintus. I pieced the puzzle together in my mind, Quintus was Daedelus.

"Where did you find his body?!"

"In the woods…" Quintus means five in Latin… Of course, how could I be so dumb? We learn these stories at the campfire, he was Daedelus's fifth body. But how did he end up in the woods? After he had died wouldn't they have put his body somewhere else?

"How did his body end up there…" Annabeth sighed, I could tell that she has been really stressing these past few days and I was just adding onto her stress with Quintus.

I looked at Quintus, he was just standing there, emotionless despite all of my hard work.

"Here's the blueprints," The daughter of Athena handed me a few pieces of papers before looking at Quintus. "I guess we need to talk to Chiron about this, for now, just keep him in your bunker and out of eyesight so he doesn't bring up too many questions…"

* * *

"Goldfish," I said as Quintus picked up a card, it has been a few weeks since the errands and I had improved him a lot. Chiron and Annabeth are still figuring out what they are going to do with Quintus, but I believe they might just let me keep him as a friend.

"Do you have an eight?" Quintus passed me an eight making a pair for me. I was still amazed that Daedelus's fifth body was my friend and sitting right in front of me.

"One second," I stood up and went Buford to open his drawer, right when I touched him he moved away from me. "Buford? Oh, come on!"

Every time I went closer he went farther away from me. "Is it because I've been hanging out with Quintus more than you? Come on, stop being so dramatic all of the time!" But that had just made Buford go farther away from me. I groaned this is going to be a long day.


End file.
